Sting of Rejection.
The following morning, it was Eva's turn to wake up to a very grumpy, panda-eyed Damien. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the light, until she realized her body was curled up on top of his. Her cheek rested on his bare chest, his arm draped protectively around her waist. Her breath hitched in horror.
"Oh my God! I_ I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't mean to_" She stammered with her eyes wide opened.
"I get it," Damien cut her off coldly, his voice sharp as a blade. "You mistook me for your boyfriend."
With that, he peeled himself away from her, scoffing as he got off the bed and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
Eva sat frozen, blinking in disbelief.
Why is he suddenly angry again this early morning? she wondered. Does he suffer from extreme mood swings or something?
Later, during breakfast, Eva sat quietly, feeling somewhat better. But the tension in the room was still unbearable. Damien, dressed in his casual clothes, ate with a deadpan expression, his eyes never meeting hers.
"Sir... aren't you going out today?" she asked hesitantly.
Damien paused mid-bite, his hand frozen in the air as anger flashed across his face. He slowly set the bread back on his plate and swallowed.
"No."
Eva frowned. "But sir, you have a full schedule today. You canceled all your appointments yesterday because of me. I'm much better now. Please, don't cancel more work on my behalf_"
"I have a headache. I want to stay back and rest," he snapped, still avoiding her gaze.
Eva quickly bit her lip and looked down. She knew better than to press.
"You shouldn't have come along at all, Eva," Damien said at last, his voice quieter, but no less cutting.
Eva lowered her eyes, her throat tightening. "I'm really sorry, sir. I tried to explain... there were no more rooms available. You only gave me a pillow, and I had to sleep on the floor. I was exhausted from work, jetlagged, and I hadn't eaten all day. I guess that cold night and all the stress triggered my illness. I... I don't usually fall sick. I swear, it must've just been the stress, sir"
She paused as she played with her food.
"And honestly, lately, I've been under a lot of pressure. I even took a day off the other day because of my mom's condition... "
"Of course you did " His eyes flashed with suppressed anger.
"And the whole thing really got me stressed..." Eva continued not getting the hint in his voice.
"Stressed, huh?" Damien interjected, grinding his teeth as his knuckles turned white. She must've been very stressed while tangled in bed with her lover, he thought bitterly, his irritation bubbling over.
His sudden anger surprised Eva and she mistook it for what she's making him do.
"I really am sorry. I feel ashamed, sir, for ruining your entire trip." Eva's voice trembled. "Please forgive me. I'll do anything to make up for the trouble."
Damien looked at her with a dry, disbelieving scoff, then picked up his cutlery again.
"I see you have a phobia for drugs," he suddenly said flatly.
Eva almost sank into her seat, covering part of her face in embarrassment. Memories of her dramatic meltdown at the sight of an injection, the vomiting, and Damien being forced to clean up her mess played in her mind like a cringe reel.
"I... I'm not good with medication," she admitted softly. "It started years ago. My mom was constantly in and out of the hospital… she has a chronic condition. Back then, the hospital felt like a second home. I grew up around pain and fear and machines that beeped all night. I think that's when the phobia set in."
"What's her illness?" Damien suddenly asked, his tone neutral but despite his ridgidly stern face, he seemed to be listening as he ate his food.
"Congenital heart disease," Eva answered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Just a few days ago, the doctor told me I can't delay the surgery any longer... or else, she'll die."
Her voice dropped, eyes glistening, but then, something flickered behind them. Desperation. Hope.
Then she suddenly looked up at him, her lips parting with hesitant courage. "Sir... can I borrow some money? Please. I'll pay it back, I swear. I just... I can't afford the surgery, and I'm running out of time. If you could help save her life... I'd be forever indebted to you."
Damien blinked. Then scoffed, setting his fork down.
"How much are we talking about?" he asked coolly. And then took a sip of water.
Eva bit her thumb nervously, her voice barely above a whisper. "A few million..."
"How much, exactly?"
"Twenty million," she said at last, barely breathing the number.
"Actually, I've tried saving, but it's impossible. I pay huge bills to the hospital every month. My salary barely covers my brother's tuition and feeding..."
"And your father?" Damien asked, his voice growing quieter.
"He died!" Eva snapped, her voice sharp with unspoken pain.
The moment the words left her lips, bitterness surged up her throat. Her fists clenched beneath the table. All she could think about was the mountain of debt her father left behind, debt that almost buried her family, stole her future, and forced her to make the darkest decisions of her life. Decisions that included stealing from Damien... and eventually making her lose her precious Damian.
Damien, unaware of the storm churning inside her, paused for a beat. The sudden venom in her voice hadn't gone unnoticed though. He simply glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then looked back at his food, calmly picking at it with the fork in his elegant fingers. He didn't ask further. He didn't need to.
But Eva couldn't hold back anymore. Her voice cracked as she leaned forward, desperation threading every word. "Sir... if you promise to lend me this money, I swear, I'll do anything you want me to."
Damien let out a humorless snort. "I'm a businessman, Eva. I don't throw my money around. Especially not on vague promises."
He leaned back, his gaze sharp and cold as steel. "You can't even live up to the salary I pay you. So how exactly do you plan to repay twenty million?"
Eva's breath hitched. Panic flared in her chest. Her mind spiraled, searching for something_ anything. Then something wild flickered in her eyes.
Without thinking, she stood up. Her tray clattered slightly as she pushed it aside. She took a shaky step toward him, her face lowered, her voice trembling.
"I... I can pay you with this."
Then she suddenly leaned in toward him, lips inches from his. Her breath was warm, desperate, her heart pounding in her throat.
Damien dodged her lips just in time, eyes narrowing.
"Pay me with what?" he asked, his tone cool, dangerously calm.
Eva's gaze lingered on his mouth. Her lips parted slightly as she tried again, but Damien moved his face away once more, this time with an audible scoff.
"Is that what I think it is?" he asked coldly. "You're offering your body... for twenty million?"
The derision in his voice made her flinch.
"What makes you think you're worth that much?" he continued, each word like a slap. "Is your body made of gold? Do you think I do charity in the form of bad investments?"
His gaze turned ice-cold as he rose from his seat.
"I'll pass. And I'm deeply disappointed in you."
He was already halfway to the balcony when he paused, turned slightly.
"If you ever try that again, you're fired."
He grabbed a cigarette and a lighter, then stepped out onto the balcony. Within seconds, the acrid scent of smoke curled through the air.
Inside the room, Eva stood frozen.
Her heart sank beneath the weight of humiliation. Shame prickled her skin like needles, hotter than her fever. Her lips trembled as she whispered to no one.
"Not worth it, huh?" She let out a bitter laugh. "I was going to give you my virginity... and you think it isn't even worth that much?"
She scoffed again, hugging herself.
"How stingy. I never knew Damien Lopez could be so... stingy."
Her voice cracked at the end. She dropped onto the edge of the bed, burying her face in her hands.
"It's not his fault," she muttered through clenched teeth. "The same thing I was offering him... that stupid Victor would give anything to have it."
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, but she held them back, swallowing them like stones.
"I just don't understand why this stupid heart of mine keeps feeling like… like my virginity belongs to him?" Her voice was barely a whisper.
She shut her eyes tightly, trying to will away the ache.